trooper peter halket of mashonaland-第11部分

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their　mouths。



〃Yes；　well；　that's　what　I　say。　　But　these　fellows；　who　couldn't　do　as

farmers；　and　couldn't　do　as　shopkeepers；　and　God　knows　what　else；　and　their

friends　in　England　didn't　want　to　have　them；　they're　sent　out　here　to　boss

it　over　us！　　It's　a　damned　shame！　　Why；　I　want　to　know；　amn't　I　as　good　as

any　of　these　fellows；　who　come　swelling　it　about　here？　　Friends　got　money；

I　suppose！〃　　He　cast　his　sharp　glance　over　towards　the　bell　tent。　　〃If　they

gave　us　real　English　officers　now〃



〃Ah！〃　said　the　biggest　of　his　companions；　who；　in　spite　of　his　huge　form；

had　something　of　the　simplicity　and　good　nature　of　a　child　in　his　handsome

face；　〃it's　because　you're　not　a　big　enough　swell；　you　know！　　He'll　be　a

colonel；　or　a　general；　before　we've　done　with　him。　　I　call　them　all

generals　or　colonels　up　here；　it's　safest；　you　know；　if　they're　not　that

today　they　will　be　tomorrow！〃



This　was　intended　as　a　joke；　and　in　that　hot　weather；　and　in　that　dull

world；　anything　was　good　enough　to　laugh　at：　　the　third　man　smiled；　but　the

first　speaker　remained　serious。



〃I　only　know　this；〃　he　said；　〃I'd　teach　these　fellows　a　lesson；　if　any　one

belonging　to　me　had　been　among　the　people　they　left　to　be　murdered　here；

while　they　went　gallivanting　to　the　Transvaal。　　If　my　mother　or　sister　had

been　killed　here；　I'd　have　taken　a　pistol　and　blown　out　the　brains　of　the

great　Panjandrum；　and　the　little　ones　after　him。　　Fine　administration　of　a

country；　this；　to　invite　people　to　come　in　and　live　here；　and　then　take

every　fighting　man　out　of　the　country　on　a　gold　hunting　marauding

expedition　to　the　Transvaal；　and　leave　us　to　face　the　bitter　end。　　I　look

upon　every　man　and　woman　who　was　killed　here　as　murdered　by　the　Chartered

Company。〃



〃Well；　Jameson　only　did　what　he　was　told。　　He　had　to　obey　orders；　like　the

rest　of　us。　　He　didn't　make　the　plan；　and　he's　got　the　punishment。〃



〃What　business　had　he　to　listen？　　What's　all　this　fine　administration　they

talk　of？　　It's　six　years　since　I　came　to　this　country；　and　I've　worked　like

a　nigger　ever　since　I　came；　and　what　have　I；　or　any　men　who've　worked　hard

at　real；　honest　farming；　got　for　it？　　Everything　in　the　land　is　given　away

for　the　benefit　of　a　few　big　folks　over　the　water　or　swells　out　here。　　If

England　took　over　the　Chartered　Company　tomorrow；　what　would　she　find？

everything　of　value　in　the　land　given　over　to　private　concessionaires

they'll　line　their　pockets　if　the　whole　land　goes　to　pot！　　It'll　be　the

jackals　eating　all　the　flesh　off　the　horse's　bones；　and　calling　the　lion　in

to　lick　the　bones。〃



〃Oh；　you　wait　a　bit　and　you'll　be　squared；〃　said　the　handsome　man。　　〃I've

been　here　five　years　and　had　lots　of　promises；　though　I　haven't　got

anything　else　yet；　but　I　expect　it　to　come　some　day；　so　I　keep　my　mouth

shut！　　If　they　asked　me　to　sign　a　paper；　that　Mr。　Over…the…Way〃he　nodded

towards　the　bell　tent〃never　got　drunk　or　didn't　know　how　to　swear；　I'd

sign　it；　if　there　was　a　good　dose　of　squaring　to　come　after　it。　　I　could

stand　a　good　lot　of　that　sort　of　thingsquaringif　it　would　only　come　my

way。〃



The　men　laughed　in　a　dreary　sort　of　way；　and　the　third　man；　who　had　not

spoken　yet；　rolled　round　on　to　his　back；　and　took　the　pipe　from　his　mouth。



〃I　tell　you　what；〃　said　the　keen　man；　〃those　of　us　up　here　who　have　got　a

bit　of　land　and　are　trying　honestly　and　fairly　to　work；　are　getting　pretty

sick　of　this　humbugging　fighting。　　If　we'd　had　a　few　men　like　the　Curries

and　Bowkers　of　the　old　days　up　here　from　the　first；　all　this　would　never

have　happened。　　And　there's　no　knowing　when　a　reason　won't　turn　up　for

keeping　the　bloody　thing　on　or　stopping　it　off　for　a　time；　to　break　out

just　when　one's　settled　down　to　work。　　It's　a　damned　convenient　thing　to

have　a　war　like　this　to　turn　on　and　off。〃



Slowly　the　third　man　keeled　round　on　to　his　stomach　again：　　〃Let

resignation　wait。　　We　fight　the　Matabele　again　tomorrow；〃　he　said；

sententiously。



A　low　titter　ran　round　the　group。　　Even　the　man　under　the　bushes；　though

his　eyes　were　still　closed　and　his　arm　across　his　face；　let　his　mouth　relax

a　little；　and　showed　his　yellow　teeth。



〃I'm　always　expecting；〃　said　the　big　handsome　man；　〃to　have　a　paper　come

round；　signed　by　all　the　nigger　chiefs；　saying　how　much　they　love　the

B。S。A。　Company；　and　how　glad　they　are　the　Panjandrum　has　got　them；　and　how

awfully　good　he　is　to　them；　and　they're　going　to　subscribe　to　the　brazen

statue。　　There's　nothing　a　man　can't　be　squared　to　do。〃



The　third　man　lay　on　his　back　again；　lazily　examining　his　hand；　which　he

held　above　his　face。　　〃What's　that　in　the　Bible；〃　he　said；　slowly；　〃about

the　statue；　whose　thighs　and　belly　were　of　brass；　and　its　feet　of　mud？〃



〃I　don't　know　much　about　the　Bible；〃　said　the　keen　man；　〃I'm　going　to　see

if　my　pot　isn't　boiling　over。　　Won't　yours　burn？〃



〃No；　I　asked　the　Captain's　boy　to　keep　an　eye　on　itbut　I　expect　he　won't。

Do　you　put　the　rice　in　with　the　mealies？〃



〃Got　to；　I've　got　no　other　pot。　　And　the　fellows　don't　object。　　It's　a

tasty　variety；　you　know！〃



The　keen…faced　man　slouched　away　across　the　square　to　where　his　fire　burnt；

and　presently　the　other　man　rose　and　went；　either　to　look　at　his　own　pot　or

sleep　under　the　carts；　and　the　large　Colonial　man　was　left　alone。　　His　fire

was　burning　satisfactorily　about　fifty　feet　off；　and　he　folded　his　arms　on

the　ground　and　rested　his　forehead　on　them；　and　watched　lazily　the　little

black　ants　that　ran　about　in　the　red　sand；　just　under　his　nose。



A　great　stillness　settled　down　on　the　camp。　　Now　and　again　a　stick　cracked

in　the　fires；　and　the　cicadas　cried　aloud　in　the　tree　stems；　but　except

where　the　solitary　paced　up　and　down　before　the　little　flat…topped　tree　in

front　of　the　captain's　tent；　not　a　creature　stirred　in　the　whole　camp；　and

the　snores　of　the　trooper　under　the　bushes　might　be　heard　half　across　the

camp。



The　intense　midday　heat　had　settled　down。



At　last　there　was　the　sound　of　someone　breaking　through　the　long　grass　and

bushes　which　had　only　been　removed　for　a　few　feet　round　the　camp；　and　the

figure　of　a　man　emerged　bearing　in　one　hand　a　gun；　and　in　the　other　a　bird

which　he　had　shot。　　He　was　evidently　an　Englishman；　and　not　long　from

Europe；　by　the　bloom　of　the　skin；　which　was　perceptible　in　spite　of　the

superficial　tan。　　His　face　was　at　the　moment　flushed　with　heat；　but　the

clear　blue　eyes　and　delicate　features　lost　none　of　their　sensitive

refinement。



He　came　up　to　the　Colonial；　and　dropped　the　bird　before　him。　　〃That　is　all

I've　got；〃　he　said。



He　threw　himself　also　down　on　the　ground；　and　put　his　gun　under　the　loose

flap　of　the　tent。



The　Colonial　raised　his　head；　and　without　taking　his　elbows　from　the　ground

took　up　the　bird。　　〃I'll　put　it　into　the　pot；　it'll　give　it　the　flavour　of

something　except　weevily　mealies〃；　he　said；　and　fell　to　plucking　it。



The　Englishman　took　his　hat　off；　and　lifted　the　fine　damp　hair　from　his

forehead。



〃Knocked　up；　eh？〃　said　the　Colonial；　glancing　kindly　up　at　him。　　'I've　a

few　drops　in　my　flask　still。〃



〃Oh；　no；　I　can　stand　it　well　enough。　　It's　only　a　little　warm。〃　　He　gave　a

slight　cough；　and　laid　his　head　down　sideways　on　his　arm。　　His　eyes　watched

mechanically　the　Colonial's　manipulation　of　the　bird。　　He　had　left　England

to　escape　phthisis；　and　he　had　gone　to　Mashonaland　because　it　was　a　place

where　he　could　earn　an　open…air　living；　and　save　his　parents　from　the

burden　of　his　support。



〃What's　Halket　doing　over　there？〃　he　asked　suddenly；　raising　his　head。



〃Weren't　you　here　this　morning？〃　asked　the　Colonial。　　〃Didn't　you　know

they'd　had　a　devil　of　a　row？〃



〃Who？〃　asked　the　Englishman；　half　raising　himself　on　his　elbows。



〃Halket　and　the　Captain。〃　　The　Colonial　paused　in　the　plucking。　　〃My　God；

you　never　saw　anything　like　it！〃



The　Englishman　sat　upright　now；　and　looked　keenly　over　the　bushes　where

Halket's　bent　head　might　be　seen　as　he　paced　to　and　fro。



〃What's　he　doing　out　there　in　this　blazing　sun？〃



〃He's　on　guard；〃　said　the　Colonial。　　〃I　thought　you　were　here　when　it

happened。　　It's　the　best　thing　I　ever　saw　or　heard　of　in　my　whole　life！〃　

He　rolled　half　over　on　his　side　and　laughed　at　the　remembrance。　　〃You　see；

some　of　the　men　went　down　into　the　river；　to　look　for　fresh　pools　of　water；

and　they　found　a　nigger；　hidden　away　in　a　hole　in　the　bank；　not　five

hundred　yards　from　here！　　They　found　the　bloody　rascal　by　a　little　path　he

tramped　down　to　the　water；　trodden　hard；　just　like　a　porcupine's　walk。　

They　got　him　in　the　hole　like　an　aardvark；　with　a　bush　over　the　mouth；　so

you　couldn't　see　it。　　He'd　evidently　been　there　a　long　time；　the　floor　was

full　of　bones　of　fish　he'd　caught　in　the　pool；　and　there　was　a　bit　of　root

like　a　stick　half　gnawed　through。　　He'd　been　potted；　and　got　two　bullet

wounds　in　the　thigh；　but　he　could　walk　already。　　It's　evident　he　was　just

waiting　till　we　were　gone；　to　clear　off　after　his　people。　　He'd　got　that

beastly　scurvy　look　a　nigger　gets　when　he　hasn't　had　anything　to　eat　for　a

long　time。



〃Well；　they　hauled　him　up　before　the　Captain；　of　course；　and　he　blew　and

swore；　and　said　the　nigger　was　a　spy；　and　was　to　be　hanged　tomorrow；　he'd

hang　him　tonight；　only　the　big　troop　might　catch　us　up　this　evening；　so

he'd　wait　to　hear　what　the　Colonel　said；　but　if　they　didn't　come　he'd　hang

him　first　thing　tomorrow　morning；　or　have　him　shot；　as　sure　as　the　sun

rose。　　He　made　the　fellows　tie　him　up　to　that　little　tree　before　his　tent；

with　riems　round　his　legs；　and　riems　round　his　waist；　and　a　riem　round　his

neck。〃



〃What　did　the　native　say？〃　asked　the　Englishman。



〃Oh；　he　didn't　say　anything。　　There　wasn't　a　soul　in　the　camp　could　have

understood　him　if　he　had。　　The　coloured　boys　don't　know　his　language。　　I

expect　he's　one　of　those　bloody　fellows　we　hit　the　day　we　cleared　the　bush

out　yonder；　but